Bicyclists frequently consume sports gel packets during bicycle races or bicycle trips to provide energy and necessary nutrients for maximization of sustained optimal athletic performance.
In the past, the sports gel packets have been transported by bicyclists in pockets integral to a cyclist's clothing frequently positioned proximate to the cyclist's back. To retrieve a sports gel packet, the cyclist in the past was required to remove a hand from the handlebars in order to reach behind the individual's back to retrieve the sports gel packet. Convenience of retrieval of a sports gel packet was, therefore, not provided. Frequently, during retrieval attempts, a sports gel packet became entangled in the cyclist's clothing or was not conveniently removed from a pocket which resulted in the cyclist dropping the sports gel packet to the ground unconsumed. A bicyclist within a race then did not stop to retrieve a fallen or dropped sports gel packet. In addition, during a bicycle race, the road surface is frequently uneven or not smooth. The retrieval of a sports gel packet from behind an individual's back during bicycle racing at relatively high speeds over a rough road or off-road surface is quite difficult resulting in significant loss of sports gel packets due to droppage. No device is known which transports a sports gel packet in a convenient location proximate to the handlebars of a bicycle which minimizes risk of droppage of a sports gel packet during a bicycle race.
Another drawback of the use of sports gel packets during bicycle races as known is the resulting litter which occurs due to the inconvenient disposal of the tabs or empty sports gel packets following consumption. In the past, the tabs of a sports gel packet upon retrieval by a bicyclist were frequently placed in the cyclist's teeth to effectuate grasping for tearing or opening. The cyclist then frequently spat the tab upon the ground due to the inconvenient and/or non-existent method of disposal of the tab. No device was known which conveniently grasped the tab of a sports gel packet for opening which eliminated the necessity for droppage or disposal and resulting litter during the use of a sports gel packet within a bicycle race. In addition, an empty packet of sports gel was frequently dropped to the ground by a cyclist during a bicycle race due to the failure of a convenient transportation location accessible to the bicyclist. No device was known which provided a convenient location for transportation of empty packets of sports gel during a bicycle race. These and other drawbacks related to the use of sports gel packets during bicycle races are overcome by the sports gel packet carrier disclosed and claimed herein.